The invention of the Internet has brought in its train the incredible changes in all spheres of human life. Today it’s even difficult to imagine what our reality would be like if the World Wide Web hadn’t been introduced to us a few decades ago.
What has had probably the most significant and visible impact on our lives is the so called online social networking. It implies the powerful and well-regulated system of interconnections between the Internet users with the help of social networks. As they are updated virtually every month, such innovations provide a lot of brand-new and handy functions and options for different users.
To put it simply, these are all those social networking websites and mobile apps, which we know better just as social nets and use for different types of communication. Indeed, nowadays social networking isn’t only about texting. Video and voice phone calls in real time, an opportunity to format photos and documents and send them to another user immediately, as well as many other innovations are constantly changing the way we treat communication in general.
On the other hand, however, technical progress can play against us, and the smartest achievements may be used to the detriment of ordinary people’s well-being. Besides, sometimes people can even do harm to themselves out of negligence and ignorance. Unfortunately, the situation around social networks also adds to such statement.
So now let’s have a look at their main pros and cons.
The Advantages of Social Networks
Social networking has already proved to be an almost all-mighty medium which can help us with many things.
Advantage #1
Definitely, it’s an amazing opportunity to communicate and cooperate with literally limitless number of people from all around the world whether you want to keep in touch with your friends from different countries or contact your future employer.
Advantage #2
It’s the constant flow and lavish source of information. A social network is actually intended for creating, getting and sharing news, facts and thus everything they should include. Texts, photos, videos and various types of documents and other materials can be sent to and got from different people and places.
Advantage #3
Creative people get a great chance to show themselves. No matter whether you’re a professional or amateur singer or writer, or an entrepreneur, you can join groups of people with the same interests and aims as yours. So this is where you can market and promote your talents and skills, get new experience and find partners or even friends.
The Disadvantages of Social Networks
At the same time, you should be extremely careful about everybody and everything you have to face in the sphere of online social networking. It has its dark sides and you should keep them firmly in mind.
Disadvantage #1
Not only good geniuses have access to the Internet. Social nets have become one of the main channels for committing different types of cybercrimes. For example, this can be international currency manipulation and cracking your personal codes.
Disadvantage #2
Social networks are extremely difficult to control. So the quality and credibility of the information you find there should be carefully checked by addressing to some other more reliable resources or by filtering everything you read or see while scrolling your news line.
Disadvantage #3
Online chatting and games have caused a specific kind of the Internet addiction among people of different ages and professions. Teens do suffer the most. This problem is hardly ever taken into account though it may lead to serious mental disorders, worsen a person’s relationships with others and deprive him or her of any life interests.